"Need advice on stripping primer from figures" Topic

I got a batch of fuzzy black Armory primer. One side of the figures has a smooth surface, but the other side has a fuzzy surface. I tried scraping off the fuzz with a new tooth brush, but it just doesn't look right. I don't want to spend hours painting the figures and end up with a rough surface on half of the figure, so I have decided to strip the primer from the figure.

I've never done this before, so I'm looking for some recommendations on how to strip primer from metal figures.

Help me Obj Wan, you are my only hope.

Pine Sol or Simple Green.
If that fails, melt them down for bullets like Mel did.
No sense throwing good money after bad.
Sooner or later you have to just give up.

Btw, haven't you been paying attention to the OFM's screeds against Hobby Primers? Tsk tsk tsk.

Simple Green will do the trick. Put them in a tub or tin can and fill it. I'm lazy and let them soak overnight and scrub them with a toothbrush the next day under running water.

Wear gloves as well.

Can you buy Simple Green at a local hardware store or a Home Depot, or,is it a product that can only be bought on line?

Home Depot, Lowes, Walmart…

I like it. Nice scent, not toxic.

It's been said, by some on TMP, that the formula has been changed and it isn't as effective as previously. I'm still on my last purchase so I don't know.

Simple Green is a brand name for citrus cleaner. It should be available in the hardware store – there are other brands as well

John

Use this it works wonders. Soak for 24 hrs use toothbrush works on plast or metal. easy peasey.

link

For the thousandth time TMPers- BRAKE FLUID! works in minutes

And for the thousandth time, Simple Green or Pine Sol work just as well and aren't caustic.

I'm going to try Simple Green first. I've gotten a lot of positive feedback on the product.

Simple green is a pretty good product (not citrus based though), just make sure you're buying the full strength concentrate in a jug. You can do better though.

Since they reformulated Green 2 years ago I've switched to "Purple Power" which still contains the former active ingredient in simple green "2 butox ethanol". It's slightly more hazardous than green but not much. You can use it with rubber gloves in your kitchen sink.

It's harmless to metal, plastic and resin and works faster and more effectively than green or pine sol. It's also cheaper than simple green or brake fluid. You can usually get it at Walmart stores, but it's always available at auto parts stores. I've stripped hundreds of minis with the stuff. I'm told it's what auto shops use to de-grease engine blocks and the like.

What kind of container should I use for the solvent bath? Metal, porcelain/glass or plastic? I assume that plastic might possibly melt.

Simple Green or Purple Power/Super Clean are fine for plastics. I just use a Ziploc container for stripping. Grab a cheap electric toothbrush to get all the gunk off when you pull them out.

I recommend Safety glasses and rubber gloves; although both liquids are fairly non toxic they will strip the oils out of your hands and you don't want them in your eyes.

Also, DO NOT use Brake Fluid!! It works well but is a sever neuro toxin and CAN NOT be rinsed down the sink!! That stuff is bad news!

I save old jam jars and things and stick them in neat Dettol disinfectant – got 4 jar fulls going at the moment, takes a while but works.

As Todosi says, Purple and Green are fine in almost any container. I've got a plastic ice cream tub that I use as my stripping vat. I used to use plastic take-out containers too.

I recommend Solvex green gloves. They're a bit overkill for the amount of protection you need, but they're fairly inexpensive and last alot longer than kitchen gloves or disposables. Also they're rather long so you don't get the chemical running down your gloves. I don't bother with safety glasses, but I have eyeglasses already and safety glasses are never a bad idea.

One last hint. When your doing the actual scrubbing, dip the brush in the purple power first and often. This makes it foam up more when scrubbing and lifts the paint faster and easier.

I will also recommend purple power. Stuff works great! I keep it in an old plastic peanut butter jar, rinsed out of course! :)

Jim,

Purple Power and a good stiff paintbrush work very well. A plastic cleaning pail works fine. Do wear gloves, and do wear eye protection of some sort. A flick of that stuff in your eye stings like hell.

Don't you just hate it when primer turns on you like that? I got air bubbles in some brush on Vallejo primer and had to soak a bunch of Minden French and start again. Best of luck.

William (AMG)

How long are you supposed to soak the models in Simple Green? 24 hours?

Sure. If it doesn't lift off the primer by then, forget it. I'm not using SG anymore. I've switched to Super Clean.